Rogue One star proud to lead new Star Wars film

FELICITY Jones feels it is "important" for a woman to be heading 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'.

The 33-year-old actress is thrilled that she gets to portray Jyn Erso in the hotly anticipated science fiction series as she believes it is a genre which is "traditionally dominated by men".

She told the Daily Telegraph: "Jyn is a fantastic woman ... I saw her as being tough and decisive and I tried to capture that attitude and portray her as an extraordinary heroine. We rarely see a woman like this in film ...

"It's important and exciting that this genre, which is traditionally dominated by men, is now featuring a woman in a central role. I spent hours practicing for the fight scenes. I even had to learn kung fu with my own coach, and I would work for hours every day learning the moves."

She shared: "I'm laughing now, but at the time, it was physically exhausting. It took a lot of hours of practice, and I worked with a kung fu coach, and I learned to fight, even though I never thought beating up Stormtroopers was something I'd be doing in my job. It came through hard work and lots of practice and rehearsals."

The brunette beauty worked hard to perfect her iconic line in the movie - "may the force be with us" - and knew it would be "momentous".

She added: "I have to say it was one of those moments that I was really nervous about for weeks before. I kept walking around my house just trying out the line.

"I'd just be in the bathroom and be like, 'May the force be with you. May the force be with you. May the force be with you.' You just go over and over and over again because I knew it was such a momentous moment for the film."